CVS tech accused of stealing 1,600 hydrocodone pills

By Austin L. MillerStaff writer

Published: Saturday, May 24, 2014 at 5:47 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, May 24, 2014 at 5:47 p.m.

DUNNELLON — A pharmacy employee who police say has been pocketing hundreds of hydrocodone pills for months and taking them because she's addicted to them has been arrested on 32 counts of grand theft and 32 counts of grand theft of hydrocodone.

Nichole Bumgardner was taken into custody at 12:30 p.m. Friday by Officer Shane Yox of the Dunnellon Police Department at CVS, 11582 N. Williams St., where she worked as a pharmacy technician.

The 35-year-old Beverly Hills woman was booked into the Marion County Jail at 1:55 p.m. Her bond was set at $128,000. Bumgardner, who locally does not have a criminal record, denied an interview request from the Star-Banner.

From October 2013 to the time of her arrest, Bumgardner told Yox in an interview, she stole 1,600 hydrocodone pills valued at $1,161.99 from her employer.

Bumgardner said each week she would take approximately 50 hydrocodone pills and put them in her pocket while filling a prescription for a customer. She said she took the pills because she was dependent on them from when she had been prescribed the pills, police said.

She said that when she didn't take the pills, she became sick, police said.

To avoid being seen by the store's surveillance cameras when she was stealing the pills, Bumgardner said she would go somewhere where she could not be seen and hide the pills, police said.

Store officials referred questions to a corporate spokesperson, who could not be reached for comment.

<p>DUNNELLON — A pharmacy employee who police say has been pocketing hundreds of hydrocodone pills for months and taking them because she's addicted to them has been arrested on 32 counts of grand theft and 32 counts of grand theft of hydrocodone.</p><p>Nichole Bumgardner was taken into custody at 12:30 p.m. Friday by Officer Shane Yox of the Dunnellon Police Department at CVS, 11582 N. Williams St., where she worked as a pharmacy technician.</p><p>The 35-year-old Beverly Hills woman was booked into the Marion County Jail at 1:55 p.m. Her bond was set at $128,000. Bumgardner, who locally does not have a criminal record, denied an interview request from the Star-Banner.</p><p>From October 2013 to the time of her arrest, Bumgardner told Yox in an interview, she stole 1,600 hydrocodone pills valued at $1,161.99 from her employer.</p><p>Bumgardner said each week she would take approximately 50 hydrocodone pills and put them in her pocket while filling a prescription for a customer. She said she took the pills because she was dependent on them from when she had been prescribed the pills, police said.</p><p>She said that when she didn't take the pills, she became sick, police said.</p><p>To avoid being seen by the store's surveillance cameras when she was stealing the pills, Bumgardner said she would go somewhere where she could not be seen and hide the pills, police said.</p><p>Store officials referred questions to a corporate spokesperson, who could not be reached for comment.</p>